1. The Secretary, Ministry of Textiles
2. The Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Public Works
3. The Secretary, Secretary, Ministry of Land
4. The Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs
5. Deputy Commissioner, Dhaka
6. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka
7. Inspector General of Police, Dhaka

Facts

The petitioners, BLAST and several residents of Bhashantek Basti challenged the threat of forced eviction of about 3260 people from Bhaashantek Basti, Kafrul, Dhaka. The threat to evict these persons, and to deploy police personnel for the purpose, was made at an inter-ministerial meeting as part of a decision to clear the area for use for the ‘Benaroshi Polli’ (the silk sari village) which was to be established there by the Textiles Ministry. The individuals living in this area had faced an earlier eviction in 1997, following which a low cost housing scheme had since been adopted by successive governments through the Ministry of Land for their resettlement in the first ever public-private partnership of this kind. The threat of eviction was being carried out despite the failure to fully implement this scheme, or to ensure the prior rehabilitation of the slum dwellers.

Rule/Order/Judgment

Date: 11/01/2003

Details

The High Court issued a Rule Nisi on the respondents to show cause as to why the action taken illegally for forcible eviction of about 3260 people from Bhashantek Basti, Kafrul, Dhaka and the notice given to the petitioners shall not be declared illegal and without jurisdiction and to be of no legal effect.

1. The Secretary, Ministry of Textiles
2. The Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Public Works
3. The Secretary, Secretary, Ministry of Land
4. The Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs
5. Deputy Commissioner, Dhaka
6. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Dhaka
7. Inspector General of Police, Dhaka

Facts

The petitioners, BLAST and several residents of Bhashantek Basti challenged the threat of forced eviction of about 3260 people from Bhaashantek Basti, Kafrul, Dhaka. The threat to evict these persons, and to deploy police personnel for the purpose, was made at an inter-ministerial meeting as part of a decision to clear the area for use for the ‘Benaroshi Polli’ (the silk sari village) which was to be established there by the Textiles Ministry. The individuals living in this area had faced an earlier eviction in 1997, following which a low cost housing scheme had since been adopted by successive governments through the Ministry of Land for their resettlement in the first ever public-private partnership of this kind. The threat of eviction was being carried out despite the failure to fully implement this scheme, or to ensure the prior rehabilitation of the slum dwellers.

Rule/Order/Judgment

Date: 11/01/2003:

Details

The High Court issued a Rule Nisi on the respondents to show cause as to why the action taken illegally for forcible eviction of about 3260 people from Bhashantek Basti, Kafrul, Dhaka and the notice given to the petitioners shall not be declared illegal and without jurisdiction and to be of no legal effect.